H O L I D AY S I N H A N S E AT I C C I T I E S

That the Hansa was a powerful network in medieval times, we all learnt

at school, it is so to say a medieval forerunner to the European Union.

But it still not very well known that the Hansa today is a very active

network with 187 member cities in 16 countries. Cities that share a

common heritage, cities that often still today offer the spirit of the Hansa.

Every year Hanseatic cities come together at the International Hansea-

tic Day. But all over Europe you can also every year enjoy regional and

national Hanseatic festivals.

The Hanseatic cities are very appropriate for different fields of tourism.

A cosy weekend trip to enjoy good food and explore a place you might

not have heard of. An active holiday by biking, walking or trekking. Fes-

tivals that present modern or historic themes. When visiting a Hanseatic

city ther is always something new to explore.

Due to the cultural values of Hanseatic cities, the Hansa is a certified

Cultural Route of the Council of Europe.

Here Hanseatic cities in Sweden (Visby), Estonia (Pärnu and Viljandi)

and Lativa (Cesis, Koknese, Kuldiga, Limbazi, Straupe and Valmiera)

cooperate to make you discover some cities you perhaps not visited

before.

Welcome to visit us and enjoy!

You find more information about the modern Hansa at:

WWW .HAN S E . O RG

The Hansa

The landscape and scenery around our Hanseatic cities is perfect for biking. Everybody can bike here. There are no mountains, just pleasant

slopes. Distances are short. Interesting sights enrich your tour.

Hanseatic adventures

Biketours in Straupe Straupe offers a 25 km long day tour where you visit the village and its sur-roundings. In Straupe itself the history about the family von Rosen is splendid and true evidence of storytelling.

For more information and reservations:www.hansa.pargaujasnovads.lv

Biketours in KuldigaKuldiga offers a tour to the Riežupe Sand Caves, the largest underground cave labyrinth in Latvia. During Hanseatic times the sand from Riežupe sand caves was taken by ships abroad for fine glass production.

For more information and reservations:tourinfo@kuldiga.lv

Biketours on GotlandIn Visby and on the island of Gotland you find a broad selection of different biking tours. Bike rentals offer bikes of all kinds. You can stay in one place and make different day tours; you can choose to bike on one special part of the island or you can make the big tour: bike all around the island. Accommodation is foreseen or in Visby or in charming boarding houses and small hotels in the countryside.

For more information and reservations:www.gogotland.comwww.gotlandactive.sewww.upplevelsepaket.se

Walking and hiking on GotlandOn Gotland you can follow the St Olav pilgrims route from north eastern Got-land to Visby, following the footsteps of the Norwegian king who according to our tradition christened the island on his way from Russia back to Norway.

For more information please contact:info@gotland.comYou can also join guided walking tours, starting from Visby, accompanied by expert nature guides. The daily hikes vary in distance between 10 and 15 km. Focus is Gotland’s marvellous coastline.

For more information and reservations:www.gotlandactive.se

Walking and hiking in KuldigaKuldiga offers a walking tour into the unspoiled nature outside the city inclu-ding the Riežupe Sand Caves from where sand was brought in Hanseatic timed for fine glass production

For more information and reservations:tourinfo@kuldiga.lv

Walking and hiking in StraupeYou can stroll around the village of Straupe and get information about the castle that for 800 years was the property of the family von Rosen but also explore more from the city’s past.

For more information and reservations:www.hansa.pargaujasnovads.lv

Walking and hiking in ValmieraIn Valmiera you can follow the ancient “Knight Path”, the historic path that connected the Hanseatic cities Valmiera

and Cesis. This self-guided tour leads you through beautiful nature, passing

interesting sights.

For more information and reservations:tic@valmiera.lv

Walking and hiking in EstoniaIn Estonia, in both Pärnu and Viljandi you can join combined bus and walking tours with one overnight stay, a tour for everyone. You get information about the cities’ rich past at the same time as you enjoy the scenic landscape.

For more information and reservations:parnuconvention@reiser.ee fringe@parnufringe.ee

Hanseatic festivals

The visitors do not only see, listen, taste and smell - there are also innume-

rable possibilities to participate actively and try old skills of all kinds. The

festivals take place from spring until Christmas. The biggest of them all is

the Medieval Week in Visby with more than 500 events, always taking place

during the W32 (first week of August).

To see when each city celebrates their festival, please, check the tourism infor-

mation webpage of each city.

In all cities you can experience local Hanseatic festivals which refer to the historic heritage.

Culinary

Today’s cuisine focuses to great extent on products grown or bred by local

producers. Top chefs know how to look for species from nature itself.

Regional entrepreneurs try to find old recipes, some of them dating back

to medieval times. Many go along with true story telling. Other traditional

recipes get a new touch by adding modern flavours. In the neighbourhood

of the Hanseatic cities you can visit farms that offer merchandise produced

on the farm. You find farmers’ markets everywhere and there is a richness in

restaurants based on local food. And could you find better souvenirs than a

local speciality as a tasteful memory of your visit to a Hanseatic city?

Locally produced food attracts more and more attention from visitors.

About HANSA projectThe main aim of the project HANSA is to promote the values of the

historical Hanseatic League, which still can be found among the member

cities. After detailed research of local history partners work together to

create and develop and promote new tourism products to make HANSA

the leading tourism brand within the Baltic Sea Region.

Project HANSA brings together small Hanseatic cities and helps them

gain impact in tourism market. Local citizens and different stakeholders

(like entrepreneurs, NGO’s, activists) benefit from the project, since their

ideas can spread far beyond their region and their activities have more

audience – therefore economy gains, too. By working together Hanseatic

cities strengthen the common values and make them more apparent to

locals and visitors.

Wider European perspective is very important – project HANSA seeks to

link with the reborn Hanseatic League (Die Hanse) and to have a rightful

place in the European culture and tourism offers. Project HANSA is

implemented with the support of European Regional Development Fund

Central Baltic Programme 2014-2020.